A Choice for Charlotte
by Penelope Lane
Summary: Charlotte Selton, en route to her planation during the seige of Charles Town meets a certain Colonel.....hmmm....possibilites. If i get feedback, I'll continue. Right now its an experiment.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Not sure if this will go anywhere...but its always a possibility. Tell me what you think!!

The cannons boomed in the distance. Charles Town could not hold the flood back any longer; the British forces were there in the harbor and they were overpowering the Continentals fiercely. Charlotte Selton nervously packed her belongings as her servants rushed around the beautiful house she'd now known for all her life, so many happy times with her family, especially her sister, Elizabeth.

She'd moved out for a time when she was married to John Selton. Yet 1771, on a sea voyage, a strong hurricane had hit the area. For days there was no sign of his ship, the _Invincible_. Then finally, broken slats of wood began washing up on the Charles Town shores. John Selton was never found. Charlotte was devastated, seeking consolation in needlework and books. A widow at 26, she moved back in with her parents. Mr Putnam, who had built the house that they lived in, then died in his sleep a year later. And then, a year after that, Elizabeth died giving birth to her daughter, Susan.

But that Elizabeth's death was already 7 years in the past. Charlotte continued to live at the Putnam mansion in general comfort. She even reluctantly allowed herself to be courted by a man by the name of Wilkins. He'd courted her sister many years before and was unsuccessful. He was also unsuccessful with Charlotte. After the tiresome trial of courtship, Charlotte vowed she'd not be pursued by any men for a long time.

Another cannon shot threw her back into reality. Her slaves were running around getting everything into the wagon to escape to Drakespur, the Selton plantation on the banks of the Santee. There seemed to be, all of a sudden, some chaotic unrest in the streets. Charlotte ran to her balcony. People were in a panic: the British had taken the city. Charlotte watched in paralyzed terror as the masts of the warships flying the Union Jack could be seen looming over the houses of Charles Town. Soon, British soldiers flooded the streets.

Charlotte ran back inside to finish packing. If they got out soon, perhaps they'd be unnoticed.

"Butterfly," she asked her lady's maid, "has Matthew hitched the wagon yet?"

"Yes, Miss Charlotte," she replied, carrying a chest out of the bedroom, "everything is nearly packed. You want your hat and shawl now?"

"Yes, Butterfly."

Butterfly nodded, "I'll get them for you as soon as I put the chest into the wagon, Miss Charlotte."

Charlotte finished up packing and looked around her bedroom. She silently prayed it would still be here when she would return. If she would return. She found herself out on the balcony again, watching the ominous, insidious parade march past her home. From her balcony she could also see, in the distance, the assembly flag change to the Union Jack. Feeling light headed, Charlotte was thankful when Butterfly came back to pin her hat to her head and put her shawl about her shoulders. In spite of the suffocating heat, Charlotte shivered as the chaos grew.

The situation was too real, too intense. Charlotte shut out all sound, all sight. In a whirl of blurry confusion, she was ushered down the stairs and out the back door to a waiting wagon. The cannons had come to an eerie halt and there was no more action in the streets. With Matthew at the reins and a few other servants in the wagon and on horseback, Charlotte felt a little safer, yet they were not out of the woods yet. They moved swiftly through the streets to get out of the city as soon as possible.

As they passed through, Charlotte looked at the city in a haze. She was scared. Scared of the unknown future--what would become of her? Her family had left her a considerable fortune but without a man by her side, she had no security.

_If only John was here. If only he had his arms around me. He'd know what to do. Everything would be fine. Everything would've have been so very different. So much happier. But John isn't here. I have to fare this storm alone. I've lost everything. My world has fallen around me and now it lays lifeless at my feet. ...Just get to Drakespur...just get to Drakespur..._

Charlotte wiped away a few stray tears that rolled down her cheek as she left Charles Town. Right before they got to the edge of the city, she spied a group of men ahead of them. They had green jackets and large bearskin caps. Charlotte did not know that they were the most efficiently brutal force the British military had to offer.

"I order you to halt," an officer brought himself, on horseback, in front of the wagon, "I am Colonel Tavington of His Majesty's Green Dragoons. "


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I'm pretty much just pulling this story from the air….so bear with me, eh?

"Let it be known," Tavington continued, "that those who attempt to escape Charles Town will be imprisoned. Now, woman, where is your husband?"

Charlotte thought for a moment. Would it be better for her and her slaves to tell Tavington she was a widow? Or was it better to lie?

"Colonel," she started with great resolve, "my husband is at our plantation, Drakespur. I was just visiting my sick aunt in Charles Town and now I am returning."

"You picked quite tiresome day to leave," Tavington sneered, "and, what, you took all the contents of your aunt's house with you?"

"I like to live comfortably when I visit."

"I see," Tavington said, "well then, what is your name, Madame?"

"Charlotte Selton."

"A pleasure to make your charming acquaintance, Mrs Selton."

"Likewise," Charlotte returned, albeit uncertainly. In spite of the fact that he did not evoke the fear in her as he had hoped, she knew he was suspicious and that bothered her. She could see it in his frigid blue eyes that would not leave her alone. Charlotte had not been looked at in that way for a very long time. It was shameful—and just a little exciting.

"So if you please, Colonel," she said, "I must be getting home."

Tavington's sharp senses told him that something was amiss. How could a husband let his wife travel alone during such tumultuous times? Nonetheless, he let her pass. There was always time later during his stay in South Carolina to find out just exactly where Drakespur was.

"Have a good journey to _Drakespur_, Mrs. Selton!" He called as Charlotte and her caravan hurried on. She knew then that it had been a mistake to tell him the name of the plantation.

"Mrs. Charlotte Selton," Tavington murmured softly, committing her name to memory.

Charlotte arrived at Drakespur late in the evening. It was far too late to eat supper so she settled herself in her chambers, eating only some bread that had been taken from Charles Town and some cheese. As she readied for bed, she found herself thinking of the Colonel she'd met on the outskirts of Charles Town. So those were the types that were now controlling the city. She shuddered, remembering how he'd gazed at her with a queer, unrelenting intensity. His eyes never seemed to let hers go for an instant.

The candle just being snuffed, Charlotte climbed into bed. It was a mild night and a soft breeze blew in from the open windows. There were no sounds of cannon, no sounds of chaos, only the sounds of peaceful South Carolina countryside. Charlotte had always felt so safe here at Drakespur, so far away from everything. Only with the memories of her short, happy marriage were here and nothing else.

Charlotte thought of her nieces and nephews. She was unsure of the safety of the country roads, otherwise she would have decided to go and visit them the following day. It had been a few months since she'd seen them last; they had come with letters from Gabriel and William had read all of them to her, show off his new found reading skills. It seemed as if it was only yesterday when he was learning letters!

Benjamin, of course, was the seams of his family, holding everyone together. He had always been close with the children but since his wife died they'd become inseparable. Charlotte was always a part of their lives, for the children needed a maternal figure. The idea of the two marrying had lingered in the air since things had started to become more chaotic. The war had been a trying time for all involved and now seemed as good a time as any to secure some sort of future; a future for Benjamin and his children, a future for Charlotte. Yet she was hesitant. The idea of sharing the same bed as her sister had done only a few years before was dishonorable to Charlotte. It could very well be construed as incest—to marry her brother in law. Charlotte, therefore, had resolved to never accept or encourage any of Benjamin's advances (and there were some). To honor the memory of her sister, she vowed to be a loving aunt to Elizabeth's children and nothing more.

But that left the question of Charlotte's future still up in the air. After the war had ended, whether the colonies won independence or not, she'd still be a widow. Charlotte tried to get some sleep last night but only tossed and turned as many things weighed heavily on her mind.

She wondered if she'd ever have to cross paths with Colonel Tavington again.

Ok guys, you know the drill. I still have no clue as to where this will go but what the heck. And yeeeesss you can expect some pairing of Charlotte/Tavington. Coupling, if you will. But what will happen when Charlotte finds Margaret, Susan and William at her doorstep telling her Gabriel has been taken hostage and Thomas is dead? oooo


End file.
